Living Cost Compare
Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

vs
Colorado Springs

Colorado

$1,480/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,480 in Colorado Springs, CO. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 37% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Colorado Springs, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $83,198 in Colorado Springs, CO — about 17% higher in Colorado Springs, CO. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax.

Casper, WY
Colorado Springs, CO

Rent

Studio
$730
$998
+37% in Colorado Springs, CO
1 Bedroom
$764
$1,305
+71% in Colorado Springs, CO
2 Bedroom
$930
$1,504
+62% in Colorado Springs, CO
3 Bedroom
$1,299
$1,881
+45% in Colorado Springs, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$250,700
$420,700
+68% in Colorado Springs, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$69,171
$83,198
+20% in Colorado Springs, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,880
$52,710
+8% in Colorado Springs, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.0 yr
35.6 yr
+1.4 yr in Casper, WY
Homeownership
70.3%
61.3%
+9.0 pp in Casper, WY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
41.9%
+11.9 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Avg Commute
16.9 min
22.8 min
+5.9 min in Colorado Springs, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
302.4
722.1
+139% in Colorado Springs, CO
Property Crime
2,123.8
3,488.7
+64% in Colorado Springs, CO

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
45.4°F
49.0°F
+3.6°F in Colorado Springs, CO
Annual Precipitation
12.5 in
16.5 in
+4.0 in in Colorado Springs, CO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$4.13/gal
+3% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Colorado.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs Mountain Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
17.1
+12% in Colorado Springs, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$18.28
$15.05
+18% in Casper, WY

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

Average prices — West vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / CO)
4%
2.9%
+1.1 pp in WY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.40%
+4.4 pp in CO

Casper vs Colorado Springs — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Colorado Springs?
Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Colorado Springs, CO's $1,480, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Colorado Springs?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $52,000 in Colorado Springs.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Colorado Springs?
Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Colorado Springs under Colorado's (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).